Regulation and possible function of the violaxanthin cycle

This paper discusses biochemical and regulatory aspects of the violaxanthin cycle as well as its possible role in photoprotection. The violaxanthin cycle responds to environmental conditions in the short-term and long-term by adjusting rates of pigment conversions and pool sizes of cycle pigments, respectively. Experimental evidence indicating a relationship between zeaxanthin formation and non-photochemical energy dissipation is reviewed. Zeaxanthin-associated energy dissipation appears to be dependent on transthylakoid ΔpH. The involvement of light-harvesting complex II in this quenching process is indicated by several studies. The current hypotheses on the underlying mechanism of zeaxanthin-dependent quenching are alterations of membrane properties, including conformational changes of the light-harvesting complex II, and singlet-singlet energy transfer from chlorophyll to zeaxanthin.